Things Change
by HottiegirlChick
Summary: He had always loved her but never admitted it. Ten years later Just when he felt he lost everything, he saw her only to discover she had lost everything since then. Rated M for Mature
1. Reunited

Things Change

Ok guys, so this is my second Magic School bus fanfic. This was originally going to be part of the romance stories series but I wanted to go more in depth with this so I making this its own story. Once again I do not own Magic School bus or any of the characters.

_Just to let you guys this is an R/DA fic. There aren't many fics on this paring and this is my second favorite couple on the show. Anyways enjoy!_

Ralphie just sat there in class staring at her, watching the beautiful blonde pig-tailed girl with her books. Normally girls who read and didn't play sports were a turn off for him but she changed his heart. Ever since he met her in Ms. Frizzle's class. At first he didn't get along with her because they were so different but after when Ms. Frizzle took the class on a fieldtrip inside of Dorothy Anne's very own book, things had changed.

Without friction, it would be very hard to play baseball. Ever since then he enjoyed her company and even loved it when she mention a fact from her books. She sounded so nerdy yet so cute when she read something from her books.

Ralphie found it funny, that even though Dorothy Ann was rich and pretty she prefer books and staring at the stars over clothes and make-up. He loved it that she never wore make-up and that was how he prefer his girls. He prefer a natural look which DA had.

Lately He had been getting worse keeping his emotions hidden for her. He didn't want her to know that he had loved her and hoped to marry her someday. He thought it was crazy and it drove him nuts to think about their children on what they would look like and what their names would be.

"You staring at her again?" His good friend Tim asked as he placed his arm on Ralphie's hand.

"Its so hard to resist, I mean just look at her, her innocent fragile body, her blonde sunny hair, her dark blue eyes, and best of all her books." Ralphie said in a dreamy mood.

"Dude, the entire class knows you like her, except her, just ask her out." Tim told him.

"What?! How did the class find out?!" Ralphie asked loudly. He then realized the entire class was staring at him.

The teacher then told Ralphie told him to be quiet and he just laughed in embarrassment. It was true. Ralphie had loved DA and he wanted to ask her out, he told his mother about her and talked about her a lot. There was just one problem.

He saw that she was giggling at Carlos corny jokes. They were smiling and whispering to each other and secretly passing notes. Plenty of times he had caught DA reading a book to Carlos and he would just smile at her even though he wasn't interested in what she was reading. Ever since DA had met Carlos, the two were like partners. They would always argue, then make up and flirt with each other.

He was good friends with Carlos, as a matter of fact he considered Carlos like a brother but he admitted inside he was jealous of the fact that Carlos was so close with DA. Carlos knew everything about her. Always had, ever since they had become close.

"Why couldn't that be me?" Ralphie asked inside his head. Tim told him he had better say something to her especially since it was the last day of school before graduation but Ralphie knew and felt it was too late. She was with Carlos and once graduation was over she would be moving to another state just to attend a collage she had dreamed of going to her whole life.

"It is too late." He said to himself.

**Ten years later**

Ralphie had just gotten done with the pro football team. It was the end of the season and practice was over. Everyone agreed he was one of the best players and they believe when he scored them a touchdown and win the game, he would be extremely famous.

Ralphie just laughed at this. He had no intention for the fame or the money. He was just doing what he loved. Getting rough and dirty. Sports were his passion. Always had been, especially football. Two years ago he decided to try out and he had made the cut. He was so happy for he hadn't been happy for awhile.

For years he had been struggling with depression, ever since he graduated from Walkerville High School. He had a hard time finding a job, he had gotten a girl pregnant and didn't even know it until three years later and she didn't want him anywhere near her baby, he had gotten caught for marijuana and had been sent to jail twice for getting involved in gang fights. He had lost touch with all his friends and his mother had passed away when she had gotten shot from a bank robbery.

He had missed his mother. She was the only family member and support he had. His father had ran out on him when he was just three and he never had any sibling. When she had passed away he felt he lost everything important to him. He had tried to kill himself but was stopped by a neighbor.

He had been sent to rehab and they were the ones who suggested he do something that he enjoyed with his life. He didn't know what it would be but then one day at the park three kids kick a ball to him and he gladly passed it back to them. That's when he realized sports were calling out to him. He had remembered what he truly loved.

He then started working out more and got help for his drinking problem. He then decided to try out for the Dallas football team and was surprised and happy that he made it. He made good friends on the team and it had prevented him from getting involved with drug dealing, gangs, and guns. It had made a huge improvement in his life.

He still though, had to visit the psychiatrist, the rehab place felt in order to keep him happy and healthy, he should visit Dr. Moore the psychiatrist who helped people like him. He went every Tuesday and Thursday night. He was driving there right now.

He got there as quickly as possible.

"Hi there Ralphie!" Dr. Moore greeted. She was an elderly lady and she was very patient with people like him. He didn't really say anything except smile and waited for the others. It felt good to know he wasn't alone; some of these people that came in here had been through worse than him.

He was surprised to see a blonde head girl in a wheel chair come in. He hadn't seen her before but she looked so sad and innocent. She had looked very familiar. She was holding a violet book in her hands. She was holding it very tightly.

"Hello Dorothy Ann, welcome to my class, you'll love it here dear, would you like me to get you anything?" Dr. Moore asked. Dorothy Ann! No wonder she looked so familiar. Of course the book! But why was she so sad and how did she end up in a wheel chair?!

Ralphie walked up to her.

"Hi DA." He said. Even though her frown went away she still looked sad.

"Hello, do I know you?" She asked.

"I hope so, its me Ralphie from school, we used to be in Ms. Frizzle's class together." He told her. She then smiled a little bit.

"Yeah I remember you, you loved sports didn't you?" She asked.

"I still do, I see you still love books." He said pointing to the book in her hand. She looked away sadly.

"This just isn't any book, this was his favorite book." She said sadly. Ralphie just looked at her.

"Who's favorite book?" Ralphie asked.

"I don't want to talk about it, so how did you end up here?" Dorothy Ann asked.

"My mother died and my life went downhill. So now that I told you my story, whose favorite book is that?" Ralphie asked. She paused for a moment.

"It was Carlos; he loved the princess in this book, because to him, the princess reminded him of me." She just said.

"Carlos! I haven't seen him in a long time, is he here?" Ralphie asked.

"No." Dorothy Ann just said.

"He's not anywhere." She then said sadly.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Ralphie asked.

"Do you want to know why I'm in this wheelchair?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course." Ralphie said.

"Carlos and I were riding in his brand new car he got after we got married. He was driving and I was in the passenger seat, you see it was very late and we were driving on a long road. I could barely see anything and I tried to get Carlos to stop somewhere so we could rest but he said he was fine and told me to go back to sleep. When I woke up, it was the worst nightmare because I felt the burning pain as a huge truck crashed into us; it knocked the vehicle all the way off the road." She told him in tears. Ralphie just sat there and listened.

"I was in so much pain but I was conscious, I looked over to see Carlos was unconscious and he was bleeding severely, it wasn't a pretty sight. The ambulance came rushing to us and quickly helped us out. I tried to get out myself but I couldn't move my legs. I couldn't even feel them."

"They helped us get out of the car and I wanted to know if Carlos was ok but they placed me on a rack and pulled me inside the ambulance truck. I cried because they wouldn't let me see him, the next day they tell me my husband passed away and I'm paralyzed for good, I would never be able to walk again." She told him. DA was in tears now and Ralphie never felt sorrier for her. He felt even sorrier for her than himself.

"Don't cry, you're not alone." Ralphie told her as he hugged her. She slowly stopped crying and hugged him back.

"You said your mother died, how did you feel when that happened?" She asked.

"I basically lost it, I was already in a bad state when I graduated but when I lost my mother from a bank robbery, I tried killing myself and I started drinking uncontrollably. But I managed; I ended up on the Dallas Football team." Ralphie told her.

"I wish I could say the same thing, I wish Carlos had never gotten that new car, then he wouldn't be dead and I wouldn't be here." She said sadly.

"Hey, after this, would you like to go to T.G.I Fridays with me; it will get your mind off of things." Ralphie told her.

"Would you really want to take a crippled girl to a restaurant?" DA asked.

"Hey I don't mind, besides it will be good to talk to an old friend." Ralphie told her. She smiled.

"I love that then." She said smiling.

Later after their therapy classes, Ralphie took DA to T.G.I Fridays. She seemed to become brighter and brighter as they talked more. He hadn't realized he had missed her so much and he felt terrible that she had lost her husband. He wanted her to be happy but she was miserable without him. She couldn't even walk anymore. Ralphie hated it when she was sad.

"I'm so sorry you lost your mother Ralphie." DA told him.

"Yeah, we've both lost someone who was important to us." Ralphie said.

"I honestly have missed you so much." DA said out of nowhere. Ralphie then blushed.

"Really, you missed me?" Ralphie asked.

"Yeah, I remember you protecting me from when Janet was about to hurt me." DA said.

"Ha, ha yeah there was no way I was going to let that brat hurt you!" Ralphie said proudly.

"Yeah, I also remember in six grade when you and Carlos took a lot of time trying to find my diary; you guys wouldn't stop finding it, just for me." She said happily.

"Yeah, funny thing was, Arnold found it and returned it to you three days before we stopped looking." Ralphie laughed.

"Yeah." She said smiling. Finally the waiter came out.

"Hello there my name is Harry and I'll be waiter tonight, may I get you anything to drink?" He asked them.

"Water is fine." DA just said.

"Yeah same." Ralphie just said trying to avoid getting asked if he wanted any beer or any alcohol drink.

"Got cha, I'll be back with your drinks." He told them. He then left.

"I haven't been to a place like this in a long time." DA said sadly.

"I haven't been to a place like this either but hey I figure I go and take you." Ralphie said kindly. At first DA smiled brightly but then she realized she was about to drop her book. She then frowned sadly.

"I'm sorry Ralphie, I enjoyed seeing you………but I must go." She said rather in tears. Ralphie didn't understand.

"I'll see you later." She then said as she wheeled herself out of the restaurant. She wheeled pretty fast.

"DA!" Ralphie called out. He wondered if he did something wrong. He then got up and tried to come after her but she had disappeared.

"Ralphie, you are such an idiot!" He yelled at himself.

He wondered where she had gone. She couldn't have gone far, she had no car. He realized and knew wherever she went. It wasn't safe for her. In the city, there were a lot of gangs around here and there were sick people out there who would hurt her. He had to find her! He then got in his car and drove around to find her.

_This is the first part of the chapter. Hopefully Ralphie finds DA! _


	2. Never again

Things Change

_Hey guys, this is the second part on my Things change. Anyways enjoy._

"Dorothy Ann!" Ralphie tried calling out. He felt like he was trying to search for his mother when she took off from a mental break-down.

He had remembered when he was only eighteen years old and he had come home from the grocery store and she had discovered weed in his room and she was angry and upset at the same time.

"My own son, don't you know this is bad for you? Haven't I explained it to you how dangerous this stuff is?" She asked in tears.

"Yeah and I know." He just said not really caring.

"Ralphie, what am I going to do with you?!" She asked.

"I don't know, figure it out, I got the groceries you wanted me to get." He just said.

"Do you not care, I do!" She cried.

"No I don't, people do weed all the time and are fine." He just said.

"They are not fine, they have health problems! I know because I am a doctor myself, I don't want to have to treat my son for lung cancer!" She cried.

"You know, I get the groceries and this the thanks I get, thanks mom." Ralphie just said.

"You know what, I need to leave, you bring in the groceries, I'm going out for a little bit and when I get back, I better expect you to get rid of that weed." She just told him.

"Otherwise you may never see me again!" She just said. She then walked out the door. He just watched her and wondered what her problem was but he didn't think too much about it. Instead he just brought the groceries and smoked some more weed.

It had been two days since he saw his mother and began to worry about her. Sure she had driven him crazy sometimes but he also cared about her and he always did tell her everything. He then decided to find her.

He then got up and got in his car to search her. He first decided to go to the doctor's office. She might have been there, after that is where she worked. He drove over there. He always hated going to the doctor's office but he had to go in order to go to find his mother. He drove all the way. It wasn't far; it was just a five minute drive.

After he parked the car, he got out and looked around to see if his mother's car was around but it was no where to be seen. He was upset that he didn't see her car. He walked inside and went up to the clerk. She smiled at him.

"Hi, um I was just wondering if Dr. Tennelli was here." He asked.

"No, I'm afraid not." The clerk said.

"May I ask you your name?" She then asked.

"I'm Ralphie Tennelli, I'm her son and I was just wondering where she was, was she here for the past two days recently?" He asked.

"Well she was here, yesterday but left suddenly to take care of things; no one has seen or heard from her since." The clerk told him.

"Ok well if you see her, can you tell her to call me." He told her.

"I will, see you later." She said.

"Thank-you, see ya." He said. He then left and got in his car. Where could she have been? He became to worry before. He knew she could take care of herself. She had been doing it ever since he was three. She could take care of him and herself. She was a smart woman still he worried about her.

He spent the whole day looking for her but there was no luck in finding her. He was lucky when she had came back a week later. He dropped the weed because of her.

"Mom!" He said happily.

"Ralphie!" She said happily. They both hugged each other.

"Mom, where were you?" He asked.

"I went out of town to figure out things but I came back because I missed you." She told him.

"I'm sorry Mom." He just said hugging her.

"I see you gave up the weed." She said smiling.

"Yeah, if I still had that stuff I wouldn't see you again." He said smiling.

"I love you son." She said.

"I love you to mom." He told her.

Ralphie hadn't forgotten that moment. He missed his mother so much. He hadn't realized that he had tears in his eyes. It was fault she was dead because of his stupid ways. He then saw the girl he was looking for.

He saw her surrounded by a group of guys. She looked terrified and they all looked scrawny and poor. They were holding knifes.

"I don't think so." Ralphie said. He then dried his tears and stepped on the gas pedal. He sped quickly towards the guys that were surrounding Dorothy Ann.

"Get away from her, you sick bastards!" Ralphie yelled. They noticed the car coming towards them and they all made a run for it as fast as they could. It was dark so it would be hard to track them but Ralphie wasn't interested in them, he just wanted to get Dorothy Ann. He stopped the car. She looked shocked and scared. He then got out of the car and closed the door.

"It's not safe out here DA, are you ok?" Ralphie asked.

She slowly wheeled herself over to him. She then hugged him and started crying. He just hugged her back.

"I'll help you in the car and bring you home." He told her. She nodded in agreement. He then helped her in the car and drove her home.

It was quiet because DA wouldn't talk. The only time she spoke was when she told him to make a turn or give a certain direction.

"I'm sorry DA; I didn't mean to upset you in any way." Ralphie told her. She looked up and was surprised.

"I didn't mean to walk out on you, its was just….." DA told him.

"Just what?" Ralphie asked.

"You for a second reminded me of Carlos, I just couldn't help myself, if I stayed there any longer I would've burst into tears and embarrass you." She told him.

"DA, you would never embarrass me, and what did I do to remind you of Carlos?" Ralphie asked.

"It's terrible but when you sounded so sweet to me, you reminded me of Carlos, Carlos was always nice to me and Joey well, Joey isn't." She just said.

"Joey? Who is Joey?" Ralphie asked.

"My boyfriend, I also left because he wouldn't be too happy that I came home late." She told Ralphie.

"Joey, how did you meet Joey?" Ralphie asked.

"I met him at Carlos funereal, he is Carlos older cousin. I live with him now; he is the only person that is willing to help me with my paralyzed condition." She said sadly.

"What about your family?" Ralphie asked.

"My parents weren't happy that I married Carlos, they never liked him much so they wanted nothing to do with me, I told them what happened and they didn't care, they told me I chose this and I should deal with my condition on my own." She told him.

Ralphie all of a sudden was angry at her parents. Some parents they turned out to be. So what if she married Carlos, he was a nice guy. Now here she was in pain and suffering both inside and out and her parents didn't even care. He knew if his mother was still alive and he had gotten paralyzed she would do her best to take care of him. He wanted to find them and punch her father and yell at her mother for being so damned selfish.

"Its ok DA, I'm just glad I got to see you again." Ralphie just said. He didn't know what else to say. He was afraid if he said something about her parents she would just cry even more. She then smiled.

"I'm glad I got to see you again to." She said. They both smiled. They then got to her house. It was more like a trailer.

"This is where you live?" Ralphie asked.

"Joey doesn't pay much bills, he says they are just trying to steal his money, so we live out in the country." Dorothy Ann told her. Ralphie couldn't believe it. This was no place for a crippled woman to live. He then helped DA get out of the car. All of a sudden a big, dark, man came out of the trailer angrily.

"There you are, you crippled bitch! Where the hell have you been?!" He asked angrily.

"Joey! I…." She was about to say until the man slapped her face. Ralphie quickly ran over and punched the shit out of him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, she's crippled and you're slapping her!" Ralphie yelled at him. Joey angrily got up.

"Who is this DA, are you becoming a little crippled whore!" He asked angrily. He then punched Ralphie. Dorothy Ann was terrified. Not only was Joey angry but he was drunk as well and that was not a good combination.

Ralphie got back up and tackled Joey just like he would on the football team. This man was big but Ralphie was bigger and stronger. He noticed DA was even more terrified.

He finally knocked Joey out.

"Come on DA, there is no way I am letting you stay here, you can stay with me." Ralphie told her.

"But Ralphie, do you really want me around?" She asked.

"Of course I do, I would worry about you if you stayed here with this ass, come on." He told her. She then agreed and he helped her back into the car.

They were then driving back to Ralphie's house.

"DA, do both Carlos and I a favor." Ralphie said.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Never date a guy like that." Ralphie told her.

"But that's Carlos's cousin." DA told him.

"I know Carlos wouldn't want you to date a guy like that, no girl deserves to be treated that way, especially when she is crippled." He told her.

_So here is chapter two, I personality hate Joey and he is an original character. Only original character of mine. _


End file.
